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NavSource Online:
Motor Torpedo Boat Photo Archive

PT-148



Call sign:
Nan - Yoke - Dog - Peter
80' Elco Motor Torpedo Boat:

  • Laid down 27 July 1942 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ
  • Launched 9 October 1942
  • Completed 27 October 1942, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron EIGHT (MTBRon 8) under the command of Lt. Comdr. Barry K. Atkins, USN
  • MTBRon 8, assigned to the Southwest Pacific, had action in New Guinea waters at Tufi, Morobe, Kiriwina, and Aitape; at Rein Bay and Talasea on New Britain, and in Philippine waters at Mindoro,
    Zamboanga, and Tawi Tawi. The squadron based for a time at Kana Kopa, Dreger Harbor, and Mios Woendi, New Guinea , and at San Pedro Bay in the Philippines, but had no action at these bases
  • Transferred in January 1943 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron TWO (MTBRon 2) under the command of Lt. Allen H. Harris, USNR
  • Late in 1942, MTBRon 2 with six 77' Elco boats and six 80' Elco boats, it was shipped to the South Pacific, where it was active in the Solomons campaign, engaging in many strenuous night actions with
    the Tokyo Express in the defense of Guadalcanal
  • Transferred 1 June 1943 to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron EIGHTEEN (MTBRon 18) under the command of LCDR Henry M. S. Swift, USNR
  • The "Fertile Myrtle" was placed out of service, stripped and destroyed by U.S. Forces 1 November 1945 at Samar, Philippines.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 56 t.
  • Length 80'
  • Beam 20' 8"
  • Draft 5'
  • Speed 41 kts.
  • Complement 17
  • Armament: Armament: One 40mm, four 21" Torpedoes and two twin .50 cal. machine guns
  • Propulsion: Three 3,600shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, three shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Niagara 234k Niagara (AGP 1) burns after being attacked by Japanese aircraft east of Cape Surville, San Cristobal Islands [Solomon Islands], on 23 May 1943. PT-146 is alongside the stern (port) while PT-147 moves up to the starboard side, aft. The tender sank later that day. Other boats (PT-144, PT-145, PT-148, or PT-110) maneuver to pick up other men from the doomed ship
    National Archives photo 80-G-68537    		 Mike Green
    There is no DANFS history available for PT-148
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